The federal jury weighing charges against former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi and two associates is set to begin its first full day of deliberations Tuesday.
Gov. Deval Patrick, left, is among the witnesses who have testified in the federal corruption trial of Salvatore Dimasi, the former speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.STEVE LEBLANC, Associated Press
BOSTON — The federal jury weighing charges against former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi and two associates is set to begin its first full day of deliberations.
Jurors met for several hours on Monday after receiving final instructions from U.S. District Court Judge Mark Wolf. The jury is scheduled to resume deliberations Tuesday morning.
The government accuses DiMasi, Richard McDonough and Richard Vitale of scheming to use DiMasi's clout to steer two state contracts worth a combined $17.5 million to the software firm Cognos in exchange for payments, with DiMasi pocketing $65,000.
The defense argues the payments were legal referral fees.
Wolf told the jury to give particular scrutiny to the testimony of former software salesman Joseph Lally, who pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against the other men in a plea deal that could bring him a lighter prison sentence.